Is it acceptable to handle food with unwashed hands if gloves are used?

Handling food with unwashed hands, even when wearing gloves, is not acceptable due to the potential for cross-contamination and the spread of harmful pathogens. Gloves can provide a barrier, but if the hands beneath are contaminated, this does not prevent the transmission of bacteria or viruses to the food being prepared or served.

Even the most diligent food handlers must recognize that gloves can become contaminated just as hands can. If hands are not properly washed, any dirt, germs, or other pathogens can easily transfer from the unwashed hands to the gloves, and subsequently to the food. Proper handwashing is a critical step in food safety, as it removes contaminants that gloves alone cannot safeguard against.

This principle underscores the importance of hygiene in food preparation settings—gloves are not a substitute for proper hand hygiene but rather a complement to it. Hence, ensuring hands are washed thoroughly before handling food is fundamental to maintaining food safety standards.